MLST-Maps |
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The global genetic epidemiology
of pathogenic micro-organisms.
MLST is a very widely used DNA
sequence based method that allows the unambiguous identification
via the Internet of strains of bacterial pathogens, allowing,
for example, the tracking of particularly virulent or antibiotic-resistant
strains of the major pathogens.
International MLST databases are available for many pathogen species and allow
researchers in different countries to unambiguously compare their strains and
to deposit the molecular data, along with epidemiological data, in a central
MLST database.
MLST-maps provides an interface to explore the large amounts of MLST data that
are being produced for a growing number of pathogenic species such as Streptococcus
pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus – including MRSA strains, Neisseria
meningitidis and some fungi, e.g., Candida albicans.
Related Links - MLST.net |
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Staphylococcal Reference Laboratory
Maps - SRL-Maps |
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See
PLoS Medicine Publication:
Grundmann H, Aanensen DM, van den Wijngaard
CC, Spratt BG, Harmsen D, et al. (2010) Geographic Distribution
of Staphylococcus aureus Causing Invasive Infections
in Europe: A Molecular-Epidemiological Analysis. PLoS
Med 7(1): e1000215.doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000215
The European Antimicrobial
Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) is an international
initiative funded by the Director General for Health and
Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) of the European Commission
and the Dutch Ministry of Health Welfare and Sports. It
maintains a comprehensive surveillance and information
system that links national networks by providing comparable
and validated data on the prevalence and spread of major
invasive bacteria with clinically and epidemiologically
relevant antimicrobial resistance in Europe.
The overall hospital catchment population of the EARSS network is now estimated
to include over 100 million inhabitants in the European region, which represents
a fifth of all European citizens.
With the help of this network, about 3000 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates
from blood-stream infections of patients in 450 European health-care institutions
from 29 European countries have been systematically collected and analysed by
DNA-sequence typing. This collection provides a genetic snapshot of the S.
aureus population causing invasive disease in Europe and in particular of
MRSA strains.
The mapping platform utilizes Google Earth and Google Maps,
providing a user-friendly and widely applicable research
tool for geographic tracking of strains/clones with particular
public health importance.
Related links - www.earss.rivm.nl
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Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Maps - Bd-Maps |
View
the Bd-Maps facility |
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“Time is running out for
the world’s remarkably diverse amphibians. Almost
half all known species are in decline and one in every
three amphibian species is currently threatened with
extinction, a far higher proportion
than that of bird or mammal species. “
(Source: http://www.edgeofexistence.org/conservation/amphibian_threats.php)
The deadly chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)
is highly effective at causing extinctions among local
populations of amphibians worldwide and it has already
wiped out vast numbers of amphibians in areas including
Australia and South America.
Global surveillance of such an emerging pathogen demands
global tools aimed at distributed data collection (from
labs across the world), allowing the monitoring of the
distribution of disease and the identification of sources
and routes of infection. Users can enter their data privately,
analyse their data with or separately from the public data
collection, and identify the spread of infection. Genotyped
individual isolates can be used to investigate the evolution
and population biology of the organism. The facility is
aimed at scientists, policy makers and the public.
Related articles - EDGE
Amphibians | Year
of the Frog | News1 | News2 |
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